Marine engine



March 3, 1964 Filed NOV. 15, 1960 H li INVENTOR United States Patent O 3,122,881 MARINE ENGINE Franklin E. Walker, Camp Springs, Md. (5893 Greenridge Road, Castro Valley, Calif.) Filed Nov. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 69,508 2 Claims. (ci. so-sss) The following patent .application is a continuation-inpart of the patent application for Marine Engine Serial No. 50,233 assigned a tiling date of August 17, 1960 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a marine engine and, more particularly, to such .an engine in which the propulsive force is a steam jet ggenerated through heat exchange involving a nuclear reactor.

Objects of the invention are to provide an engine capable of driving surface vessels or submerged vessels at good speeds and with maneuver-ability, while at the same time providing for power requirements generally of a vessel.

Other objects, advantages and features will appear from the following description of a. preferred emibodiment of the invention, taken together with the attached drawings of said lenibodiment, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic drawing of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is Ia vertical sectional view, partially broken away, through the main heat exchanger;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view lat 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view at 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional View [at 5--5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view at 6 6 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, there is shown in FIG. l a nuclear reactor 1, which may suitably be of 'the inert gas heat-exchange medium type disclosed in Fermi et al. U.S. Patent No. 2,837,477, although other types might also be used (eg, the hot water rtype or the liquid metal type disclosed Dwyer U.S. Patent No. 2,865,827). Hot helium from said reactor passes through manifold 2 and ports 3 into the interior of main heat exchanger 4 in which it is confined by upstream bulkhead 5 and downstream bulkhead 6. Bai-lling for increased efficiency of heat transfer may be provided as desired.

Helium leaves main heat exchanger 4 through pipe '7, filter 8, compressor 9 and aftercooler 10' and then flows through pipe 11 back tinto the reactor 1 for re-heating.

Sea water (or other water) is brought in through mechanical iilter i12, through pipe 13 to ionic filter 14, aftercooler :10, line 15, manifold 16 and solenoid operated valves and spray nozzles 17 into tubes 18 extending with their axes parallel to the axis of the main heat exchanger 4 and having external ns (not shown). The valves 17 can be opened independently, one or any number at a time. Steam flows from the tubes 18 into turbine section 19 and forces the turbine Z0 to `[rotate as it passes over turbine rotor blades 21 and turbine stators 22. Steam emerges from the said turbine sec-tion into flow chamber 23 and passes into variable ,area lexit valve 24 which regulates pressure 'and flow rate. The steam exits through nozzle '25 for forward propulsion or through nozzle 26, which may be lowered and raised, for reverse propulsion. Adjustable bafes 27 control the pattern of the exit flow to gain eficiency and to reduce noise. Solenoid controlled hydraulic actuators 28 provide movement lof nozzle 25 in both horizontal yand vertical arcs and combinations thereof for guidance.

rlThe curved gate 29 in variable flow valve 24 is lowered and raised in track 30 by electrically driven gear 31. Said gate has an arc removed from the central portion of the lower edge (not shown). As gate 29 is lowered, it progressively reduces the exit area for the steam flowing into nozzle .25. In manner the flow rate of the steam and the thrust of the engine are regulated to meet the operational requirements which vary because of depth of operation and Ydesired changes in velocity. Further lowering of gate 29 shuts off the lloW of steam completely to nozzle 25 and prevents water from owing into variable flow valve 24 from nozzle 25. In the last portion of its down- Ward travel, lgate 29 pushes aside spring loaded cover 32 and this action directs the steam through nozzle 26 for reverse propulsion.

The turbine 20 turns shaft 33 and, as shown schematically, ldrives reduction gears 34 and generator 35 to charge batteries 36 to provide vessel power generally and to drive propellers for .auxiliary or other propulsion if desired. The turbine 20 is not required for propulsion, but it functions to provide auxiliary power. In the embodiment shown in the original application, there is no turbine section in the engine and auxiliary power is provided by a more conventional steam turbine Igenerator' system. The more conventional system can be included in the embodiment described herein if desired.

To clean salts and other deposits from the inner walls of tubes 18, Scrapers 37 driven by gears 38, which are turned by shaft 33, are provided. In addition, cold Water is brought through lilter 12, line 39, valve 40, line 15, manifold 16 and nozzles 17 where it is sprayed into tubes 18 while they are hot but after the ow of hot helium from reactor =1 has been reduced. This causes salt deposits to separate from fthe walls of tubes 18, Scrapers 37 and turbine section 19.

In operation, in the embodiment described, helium leaves the reactor 1 at 104 p.s.i. and 800 F. and emerges from main heat exchanger 4 at 75 psi. and 450 F. It reenters reactor 1, after passing through the equipment specified, including af-tercooler 10, at F. and 115 psi. Sea water is heated in the aftercoo-ler 10 to 180 F. and is pumped through manifold 16 at 1200 p.s.i. into heat exchanger 4 in which Ithe water is vaporized and superheated lto 500 F. at 500 p.s.i. The above temperatures and pressures are Aapproximate and may be varied.

Other embodiments within the spirit of the invention and scope of the following claims will, of course, occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A marine engine comprising a nuclear reactor for heating a heat-exchange medium; heat-exchange means for transferring heat from said medium to generate steam at high temperature and pressure, said heat-exchange means including a cylindrical shell, a torus-shaped manifold extending at least parti-ally therearound for introduction thereinto of said heat-exchange medium while hot through ports, -a multiplicity of steam chambers positioned in said shell with their axes parallel to the axis of said shell, a multiplicity of independently operable vaporization nozzles for introduction of Water into `said steam chambers and separation means within said cylindrical shell confining said heat-exchange medium upstream thereof and col-lecting steam from said steam chambers downstream thereof for use in propulsion; -a main nozzle for discharge of said steam therethrough for jet propulsion of a vessel; a turbine that is driven by steam emerging from said ste-am chambers; and a generator which is driven by power derfi-ved from said turbine through a drive shaft and reduction gears.

2. The engine of claim l which includes Scrapers mounted to move over the inner surfaces of said steam chambers to remove salts deposited thereon and a means for directing the iiow of cold water into said steam chambers and on said Scrapers and said turbine to also remove sal-ts deposited thereon.

(References on following page) A d n References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES UNTTED STATES PATENTS Proceedings of the Second Unimed Nations International 85,027 Ri ,h d D 15 1868 Conference on Ifhe Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, 12291729 Ednrs Jufe 12, 1917 v01. s, Umfed Nations, Geneva 1958, pp. 358-364, 159- 1,259,753 Lassen M2149, 191s 5 163 2,024,274 Campini Dec. 17, 1935 

1. A MARINE ENGINE COMPRISING A NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR HEATING A HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIUM; HEAT-EXCHANGE MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID MEDIUM TO GENERATE STEAM AT HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE, SAID HEAT-EXCHANGE MEANS INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL SHELL, A TORUS-SHAPED MANIFOLD EXTENDING AT LEAST PARTIALLY THEREAROUND FOR INTRODUCTION THEREINTO OF SAID HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIUM WHILE HOT THROUGH PORTS, A MULTIPLICITY OF STEAM CHAMBERS POSITIONED IN SAID SHELL WITH THEIR AXES PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHELL, A MULTIPLICITY OF INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE VAPORIZATION NOZZLES FOR INTRODUCTION OF WATER INTO SAID STEAM CHAMBERS AND SEPARATION MEANS WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL SHELL CONFINING SAID HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIUM UPSTREAM THEREOF AND COLLECTING STEAM FROM SAID STEAM CHAMBERS DOWNSTREAM THEREOF FOR USE IN PROPULSION; A MAIN NOZZLE FOR DISCHARGE OF SAID STEAM THERETHROUGH FOR JET PROPULSION OF A VESSEL; A TURBINE THAT IS DRIVEN BY STEAM EMERGING FROM SAID STEAM CHAMBERS; AND A GENERATOR WHICH IS DRIVEN BY POWER DERIVED FROM SAID TURBINE THROUGH A DRIVE SHAFT AND REDUCTION GEARS. 